Heartbeats
by Love the wallflowers
Summary: 5 weeks until Bella's wedding a small disaster occurs involving Charlie and much to Bella's disappointment Jacob too. For Gina. R&R!


**I had the idea for this story in class on Monday... is that bad?**

Chapter one

I sat with my knees under my chin watching the T.V in the Cullen living room while Edward and Jasper played chess. Alice was sat on the floor by my feet, painting my toe nails a bright green.  
"Emmett?" Called Rosalie from the stairs, Emmett stood, tossing me the ball he'd been playing with. It hit me square in the forehead.  
"Ow" I grumbled, Emmett ignored both Edward and Alice's glare and chuckled as he lumbered off.  
"Check mate" Edward grinned, leaning back in his chair as Jasper's queen tumbled to the floor.  
He came and joined me on the sofa as Alice finished with my toes. I climbed onto his lap and smiled up at him.  
"You okay?" Asked Edward  
"Half asleep" I admitted laughing a little as Rachel delivered one of the world's best known phrases 'We were on a break!'  
"You like this?" he asked amused, I shrugged and glanced at my watch, 9 am after going to Angela's birthday party the night before.  
"F.R.I.E.N.D.S reminds me of being in Phoenix. My friends and I would try as fast as possible to get home to watch it" I smiled at the memory of Allie's bright red hair whipping in the wind as Robert drove his open top down the road to his house.  
"You miss them?" Edward asked.  
"When I think of them" I said quietly, and he guessed I was lying. He squeezed me gently.  
"I'll make sure Alice invites them to the wedding" he promised, I looked for Alice and saw she was no longer there. When I looked back to him his face had frozen, a shade paler than its usual white  
"Edward?" I asked, Alice was in the door then "Alice? What's wrong?"  
"Someone's on their way up – Seth I think" Edward mumbled, his voice distant  
"That's not an answering my question. What's wrong?" I begged  
"I don't know, I can't hear him clearly but Alice can see you driving away alone" he sighed, frowning. His face went blank after he'd stopped. A few seconds later his eyes flickered to me and in that brief moment when we locked gazes I saw panic. "Edward?" I asked quietly, he didn't answer; instead he pulled me tighter against him. My heart began to be faster, loud in my ears.

There was a distinct sound of a truck coming up the drive. I pulled myself out Edward's arms; bolting to the door, throwing it open and only stopping on the 2nd to last step watching Seth walk towards us, his boyish innocent face twisted in pain.  
"Bella-"  
"What's _happened _Seth!" I snapped. I sensed every Cullen member behind me, Edward only 2 feet away  
"Jacob" my heart beat became louder even outside I could hear it over the sound of Seth's truck. What was wrong with Jacob? "He fazed in front of Charlie and gave him a heart attack" my heart stopped and I choked. Carlisle became visible in my eye line, but Seth wasn't finished "Charlie's dead" he stuttered on the last word and I could see it caused him great pain to relieve the words said to him about his own father to me.  
My mouth formed words with no sound. Silence stung my ears and my feet had become numb. I swallowed hard and I saw red. My best friend and the closest thing I'd ever had to my brother had killed my dad. He'd killed him. Seth's last words rang in my head "O-okay. Okay. Okay" my brain fuzzed and my eyes blurred.  
"Bella I'm so sorry" Seth whispered, I nodded looking at a rock behind him trying to level my breathing again. Edward's hand wove itself into mine and I turned to him.  
"Stay here. All of you please" I pleaded; he looked doubtful "stay for me, please" I knew I felt some sort of pain seeing the pain in his face but I was too numb to shocked to feel anything but my own selfish ache. He nodded and I unstuck my rock like feet from the ground looking quickly at Seth.  
"Jacob still at his house?" I asked his name made my stomach churn.  
"Yes" Seth mumbled and that was all I needed to know. The keys to my truck were in my hand without me realising Edward had gone to get them; I ran to the car and sped out the drive.

I didn't want to think. I wouldn't let myself think, not yet. It'd be too painful too soon. The road was empty, it blurred past me in a mass of concrete and trees as I drove to La Push my throat tight.  
I pulled up outside the Black's house and ran in.

On the sofa still as stone was Charlie. I gave a short sharp strangled scream.  
"Bella" Billy saw me from where he sat in his wheelchair talking to Doctor Hamilton (the new Doctor that Carlisle had been training) but I took no notice of Billy and whirled to his son and my former best friend werewolf.  
"You" my voice shook, his eyes were bright red.  
"Bella-"He choked  
"You _killed _him!" I screamed "you stupid, ignorant careless werewolf!"  
"I'm sorry" he whispered  
"I don't care! I don't forgive you. Keep your misery; I'm never going to forgive you. I hate you Jacob Black, with all my heart I hate you. You're childish and stupid and selfish – get out of my life and don't ever come back" he was crying but I didn't care. I looked at the still body of Charlie, pale in death with 3 long scratches down his face just like Emily's. Doctor Hamilton turned to me.  
"Bella – the ambulance is on its way to take Charlie to the morgue. Do you want to come a bit later on? I can get Carlisle to take you to him later on?" he was trying to be nice but my stomach was churning so badly that I could only nod before I left. Driving away up to the cliff edge, where I had sat a year before.

As soon as I got out the car I threw up in a bush before crawling on my knees to the edge, curling up while the hole in my heart that I had been sewn together ripped apart again as I sobbed.  
The grass pressed into the left side of my face as the tears streamed down my face. I heard the rumble of an engine behind me on the road. I didn't think anything of it until I heard my name.  
"Bella?" Emily Young touched my shoulder "Bella, are you hurt? Can you hear me?" She rolled me gently over so I was looking at her scared face and my vision blurred even more. She was worried.  
"Jacob killed Charlie" my voice was so cracked that the growl was lost.  
"Oh my god" she whispered "Bella, I need to take you ho-"she paused "to the Cullen's. Do you want me to call Edward or Carlisle?" I shook my head  
"They're not allowed here. You'll have to take me there" I croaked, she nodded and sighed – evidently thinking the treaty was as stupid as I did.  
"Can you stand?" She took my hand and helped me up; Emily could see that getting a werewolf would not help anything at this point in time. My knees wobbled. I let Emily guide me to my truck.

All the way to the Cullen's Emily kept glancing at me. My head lay against the cool glass my legs bent in an unnatural possession while my right hand lay on top of the bracelet, hiding the small wooden wolf. I could hear my heart beating in my chest, still too loud as I shivered in the 40 degree heat. As we pulled up the drive the shivering became so bad it was like I was having minor convulsions.

They were already stood on the steps, like they hadn't moved in the 20 minutes I'd been gone. I met Rosalie's eyes for a moment and she looked horrified, I didn't dare look at Edward – he shouldn't have to see me like this, again.  
But Emily stopped the car and he was there, already opening the door undoing my seatbelt and taking me in his arms. Carrying me to the house, in the background I could hear Emily talking to Carlisle.  
"She said Jacob killed" Edward put his hands over my ears so I couldn't hear as he took me upstairs - laying me on the over sized double bed.  
I lay there with tears spilling over my face but I stayed motionless, too numb and stunned to do or say anything.  
"Bella" Edward whispered and pulled me closer to him; my shoulders shook against his chest.  
"I hate him" I wept; he nodded and stroked my hair.  
"I know" he replied "I know"

I woke the next morning groggy with an odd memory that I prayed was a dream. I wandered down stairs, tripping only once on the bottom step. I turned the corner to the living room and on the sofa were Edward Alice Carlisle and Esme.  
Edward was next to me in a second, wrapping his arms around me and slowly walked me back to the sofa.  
"How're you feeling?" Esme asked "Do you want something to eat?" I shook my head as my stomach churned in protest.  
"I had an awful dream" I mumbled.  
"What happened?" Edward asked.  
"Jacob fazed next to Charlie and gave him a heart attack and he d-died" I swallowed, praying it was a dream.  
"Bella" Carlisle said "Bella, it wasn't a dream" his voice was hesitant and I felt Esme Alice and Edward watch me carefully, I swallowed.  
"I-" I paused taking a deep breath "I thought it was too real-" I whispered, my eyes clouding.  
"I'm so sorry Bella" Esme said and I nodded looking at Alice.  
"Will you organize the funeral" I asked her, Alice's face perked up a fraction.  
"Of course" she smiled and I smiled best I could back at her.  
"Very small though Alice. Invite Sue Clearwater and Seth too. Phil and Renee, all of you and I suppose Billy Black" I frowned at the last name "only Billy" I added, she nodded quickly.  
"I'll deal with it all don't worry" Alice said.  
"Thank you. I suppose I should call Renee" I said; Edward kissed my temple and I looked up at him.  
"What do you want to do today" he asked as if he'd read my mind. I pulled away from him crossing my legs in front of him and took a deep breath.  
"Do you know what?" I asked straightening up best I could, he cocked his head "I want to go away" he gave me his beautiful crooked smile.  
"Where? The sky's the limit" Edward looked genuinely happy.  
"I've always wanted to go to London" I asked, chewing my bottom lip thinking of the weather.  
"Bella, you're not worried about that are you?" Alice scoffed, I frowned at her, but Edward looked at me amused.  
"Bella – the weather's going to be fine. London it is, I'll book the plane tickets now. When do you want to go?" I looked back at Alice.  
"How long will it take you?" I asked her.  
"A week, a week and a few days. How long too you want to be away"  
"As long as possible" I answered and she nodded.  
"I can have everything ready in ten days" Alice promised.  
"Done" Edward smiled at me; I raised an eyebrow at him.  
"Done?"  
"We leave at nine o'clock" His grin was excited; I rolled my eyes at him.  
"You're taking great pleasure from me asking for me to on holiday aren't you?" I asked sarcastically and he nodded. I laughed and curled up on his lap resting my head against his chest.  
"I love you" he whispered.  
"I love you too"

**It's taken me days to write this! Please review! Working on a James Bond meets Gallagher girl story at the moment... and a Harry Potter one too! Ugh so tired... REVIEW PLEASE! X**


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